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FREED FROM THE PAST (MARK 3:20-34)

REFLECTION

“Freed from the past” is the theme for our reflection. To be freed means to be released from confinement or captivity. The past is the set of all events that occurred before a given point in time. Some people have had a good past but others have had a terrible and regrettable past. Freed from the past means that a person has been liberated from the events or occurrences in his or her life that held him or her captive. We shall reflect on the fact Jesus frees us from the burdens of our past when we come to Him in faith.

Beloved in the Lord, people who had hitherto been sick and possessed with unclean spirits were healed by Jesus. They were freed from the burdens of the past! However, they accused Him of healing with unclean spirit. “So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? ²⁴ If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. ²⁵ If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. ²⁶ And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. ²⁷ In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house. ²⁸ Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, ²⁹ but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.” (Mark 3:23-29). In other words, Jesus exposed the spiritual ignorance of His enemies and cautions them against blasphemy. Beloved in the Lord, Jesus came to free us from our past burdens when He said ““The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, ¹⁹ to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”( Luke 4:18-19). Again Jesus assures us that “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10). Dear friend in the Lord, all the four Gospel accounts (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) testify to Jesus’ consistency in freeing people from the burdens of their past. He healed people from their infirmities and liberated them from the captivity of unclean spirits. The assurance we receive is that no one comes to Jesus and goes back the same. Jesus is still inviting all who are carrying burdens of their past to “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30).

Beloved in the Lord, no matter how heavy our burdens are, Jesus is inviting us to come to Him with our past and its burdens and He will free us. God is still fulfilling His promise of liberation through Jesus Christ when He said through the Prophet Jeremiah, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. (Jeremiah 29:11-14) All we are required to do is to surrender all to Jesus through repentance, faith and obedience to His teachings and we shall experience total freedom from the burdens of the past through the power of the Holy Spirit.

In summary, we have deliberated on the theme “Freed from the past” We have discovered that Jesus frees us from the burdens of our past when we come to Him in faith. Shalom

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, thank you for coming into our lives to free us from the burdens of the past. May the Holy Spirit empower us to live our new and transformed live through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.